Plumbing grate fixture

ABSTRACT

A grate fixture adapted to cover a drainpipe having a bellmouthed flaring with a planar edge and a circular groove near the edge. The fixture provides a grate portion to cover the mouth of the pipe and to allow liquids to flow therethrough. Releasable securing means extend downwardly into the opening of the pipe and removably secure the fixture to the pipe.

Unlted States Patent [151 3,674,149 Donalson July 4, 1972 [54] PLUMBING GRATE FIXTURE 2,749,999 6/1956 Schmid ..210/165 [72] Inventor: Alton E. Donalson, 7919 Twin Hills, primary L Decesare Houston 77036 An0rneyMichae1 P. Breston d: D 8 1970 [22] me cc 57 ABSTRACT [2]] Appl No': 96l56 A grate fixture adapted to cover a drainpipe having a bellmouthed flaring with a planar edge and a circular groove near [52] U.S.Cl ..210/l63,210/463 the edge. The fixture provides a grate portion to cover the [51] Int. Cl mouth of the pipe and to allow liquids to flow therethrough. [58] Field of Search ..210/ 163, 164, 165, 166, 463 Releasable securing means extend downwardly into the opening of the pipe and removably secure the fixture to the pipe. [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures 3,212,416 10/1965 Boersma ..210/163X P ATE N TEDJUL 4 I972 3, 74,149

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ALTON EDONALSON, BY

MICHAEL P. BRESTON AT TORNEY.

PLUMBING GRATE FIXTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Many commercial establishments such as cafeterias, laundries, car washers, etc., employ a great number of floor drains each having a grate removably secured to the downwardly extending drainpipe. A common material used for making such drainpipes is cast iron. Commercially used grates typically include a grate portion having an outer diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of the mouth of the drain pipe. Suitably inclined legs extend from the bottom face of the grate portion to rest on the inner wall of the drainpipe.

The drawbacks of such grates which are in common use are well known to those skilled in the art. First the setting of the grate requires skilled labor, prior to the pouring of the cement and after the cement has been set. Second, since the edges of cast iron pipe are ordinarily not as smooth as it is often desired, floor drains using such grates fail to provide a flush surface which blends with the surrounding floor surface. To provide an acceptable blend, the edge of the cast iron pipe is often leveled with a suitable grinding tool. Third, subsequent to the installation, the edge of the drainpipe is likely to show rust which detracts from the clean appearance desired in such commercial establishments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a main object of the present invention to provide a new and improved grate fixture which avoids the above mentioned and other drawbacks of commercial grade grates presently used with drain floor pipes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a relatively inexpensive grate fixture which can be easily installed after a cement floor is poured, which provides a smooth blending surface with the surrounding floor surface, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and which hides the drainpipe from view thereby affording an attractive appearance.

The grate fixture of this invention is adapted for use in conjunction with a hub drain section which is commonly used in putting up drainpipe.

The grate fixture is adapted to cover a hub section having a central opening, an outer edge lying in the plane of the opening, and a circular groove in its inner wall near the edge.

The fixture itself comprises a top member providing a grate portion adapted to cover the central opening and to allow liquids to flow therethrough into the drainpipe, and a marginal circular flange which is coextensive with the grate portion and which has an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the edge. Releasable securing means extend substantially at right angles from the top member so that, in use, the securing means removably secure the fixture near or to the wall of the groove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be fully and comprehensibly understood from a consideration of the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view in elevation of one embodiment of the grate fixture, with its constituent elements disassembled, and disposed adjacent to the mouth of a hub section;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the top member on line 22 in FIG. 1, showing the grate portion and its adjoining marginal circular flange;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the coupling member on line 3-3 in FIG. 1, adapted to releasably secure the top member to the inner wall of the hub section;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the position of the grate fixture inside the hub section and the manner of its blending with the adjoining floor surface;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a modified embodiment of the coupling member shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of yet another embodiment of the coupling member.

In the embodiments shown in the drawing there are provided a pair of complementary members one of which is a coupling element adapted to become removably attached to the inner wall of a hub section and to provide a support surface for a top cover element which has a circular area sufficient to cover the outer diameter of the hub section.

Reference is now had to FIGS. l-4 of the drawing for a detailed description of one embodiment of this invention.

A drainpipe 10 is shown embedded in a concrete floor having a surface 12. Pipe 10 is terminated with a hub section 14 defining a central opening or mouth 16 in an enlarged tubular portion 18 which affords a bell-mouthed flaring having an inner wall 20 in which there is a circular groove 22. A planar annular edge 24 forms the end wall of hub section 14 and lies in the plane of mouth 16. Hub sections such as 14 are standard drain sections used commercially for inter-coupling drainpipe as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In use, the plane of edge 24 is positioned below the floor surface 12 by a distance sufficient to accommodate the grate fixture of this invention which is generally designated as 30.

Fixture 30 includes a top or cover member 31 defining a grate portion 32 having a circular area substantially equal to the circular area of mouth 16, and a marginal annular flange 34 which is coextensive with the grate portion 32 and which has an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the annular edge 24. Fixture 30 also includes a coupling device which is generally designated as 40 and which is adapted to removably secure the cover 31 to the inner wall 20 of hub 14 and preferably to the inner wall 42 of groove 22.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, coupling device 40 includes a ring 44 having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of the annular flange 34. Extending downwardly from ring 44 are a number (say four) of resilient locking or spring members 46. Each spring member 46 has an arcuate downwardly extending portion 48 and a V-shaped locking finger 50 having an outwardly extending apex 52. A plurality of screws 54 releasably secure ring 44 to the marginal circular flange 34 through openings 56.

In use, grate fixture 30 is assembled by tightening screws 54 and with the use of pressure it is inserted into the mouth 16 whereupon the resilient spring members 46 will first move slightly inwardly to allow the apexes 52 to pass through the inner wall 20. Thereafter the locking fingers 50 will lodge inside groove 22 as best illustrated in FIG. 4. The upper surface of fixture 30 will then provide a smooth blend with the surrounding floor surface 12 as well as hide from view the cast iron hub 14. To remove fixture 30 the opposite procedure will be followed, i.e., fixture 30 will be pulled out by applying suitable tension thereto. The drain liquids will flow downwardly through the openings 33 in grate 32 in the usual manner. The lattice of openings 33 can assume, of course, various configurations.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 is in all respects similar to the embodiment of the grate fixture shown in FIG. 1 except that ring 44 is now provided with a vertically extending cylindrical portion 60 having an outer diameter substantially equal to the outer diameter of edge 24 and an inner diameter slightly greater than the outer diameter of flange 34.

In some construction sites the floor surface 12 is not perfectly horizontal and accordingly it may be desired for the grate fixture 30 to include vertical leveling means associated therewith. Such means are provided in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 which is in all respects similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 except that the tubular portion 48 is extended further downwardly to cover at least a portion of groove 22 and to allow an inclined set screw 62 to engage wall 42 of groove 22. In use, a suitable Allen wrench inserted through an opening 33 in the grate 32 can cause set screw 62 to move inwardly into or outwardly from groove 22.

The materials used to fabricate the grate fixture 30 can include copper, bronze, stainless steel and the like to make the fixture strong, non-corrosive and durable.

it will be appreciated that the grate fixture may be fabricated in a manner as to form an integral unitary piece instead of the dual construction illustrated in the drawing. Other modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and all such modifications are intended to be covered by the claims attached hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A floor drain comprising a hub section of a drainpipe having a bell-mouthed flaring defining a central opening, a planar edge lying in the plane of the opening, and a circular groove in the inner wall of said flaring near said edge,

a grate fixture adapted to be mounted in said drainpipe for support exclusively by the drainpipe, said fixture comprismg:

a top member defining:

a grate portion to cover said opening and to allow liquids to flow therethrough into said drainpipe, and

a marginal annular flange coextensive with said grate portion,

said flange having an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of said opening, and said flange being supported by said planar edge,

screw means angularly extending downwardly from the bottom surface of said top member, said screw means:

a. securing said top member to said inner wall near said groove,

b. having a longitudinal axis which forms an acute angle with the vertical, and

c. being adapted to move into and out of said groove to thereby removably secure said fixture to said drainpipe at desired angular inclinations relative to the horizontal thereby causing said gate portion to move up or down relative to the surface of the floor around said floor drain. 

1. A floor drain comprising a hub section of a drainpipe having a bell-mouthed flaring defining a central opening, a planar edge lying in the plane of the opening, and a circular groove in the inner wall of said flaring near said edge, a grate fixture adapted to be mounted in said drainpipe for support exclusively by the drainpipe, said fixture comprising: a top member defining: a grate portion to cover said opening and to allow liquids to flow therethrough into said drainpipe, and a marginal annular flange coextensive with said grate portion, said flange having an outer diameter greater than the inner diameter of said opening, and said flange being supported by said planar edge, screw means angularly extending downwardly from the bottom surface of said top member, said screw means: a. securing said top member to said inner wall near said groove, b. having a longitudinal axis which forms an acute angle with the vertical, and c. being adapted to move into and out of said groove to thereby removably secure said fixture to said drainpipe at desired angular inclinations relative to the horizontal thereby causing said gate portion to move up or down relative to the surface of the floor around said floor drain. 